“Letterbox” Typography Blocks Teach Kids to Become Font Designers
by Jasmin Malik Chua, 02/02/10
Tired of old-school building blocks? This toy prototype helps hipster tots learn not only their ABCs but also the basics of font design. (Here’s hoping future generations will never know the horror of Comic Sans.) Instead of 26 distinct letters, the oversize, 4-inch recycled-cardboard cubes (known as “Letterboxes”) divvy up the alphabet into combining geometric parts, not unlike a tangram puzzle. The cubes can be stacked in myriad combinations to produce a variety of shapes and letterforms. Before you know it, your little tyke will be able to pinpoint the nuances between Arial and Helvetica. Grownups can even play around with the companion typeface, available as a free download.
via World Famous Design Junkies
I somehow don’t see this becoming a huge success, but if it is, kudos to them!